Rusty tanks and defective indicator lights: In more than one in four cases, defects were found in systems that work with water-polluting substances – including petrol stations and heaters.
During inspections of facilities for handling water-polluting substances last year, defects were found in more than one in four cases. The facilities include oil heating systems, petrol stations, biogas plants, and storage and filling plants, according to the Federal Statistical Office. 44,218 facilities (19.5 percent) had minor defects, 20,238 facilities (8.9 percent) had major defects, and 48 facilities (0.02 percent) had dangerous defects. The proportion of defective facilities was 28.5 percent overall, compared to 32.7 percent five years previously.
The defects included corroded tanks, defective operating and control lights and damage to drip trays. Missing or incorrectly attached operating or inspection instructions were also found.
Biogas plants are particularly often deficient
Over three quarters (76.9 percent) of the systems inspected in 2023 were oil heating systems, and more than one in four (27.7 percent) had at least one defect. Of the biogas plants inspected, more than one in two (56.7 percent) were defective. To protect the environment, systems for handling substances hazardous to water must be regularly inspected by experts for safety.
Source: Stern
